House Of Reps Confirms Appointment Of New Service Chiefs
The House of Representatives has confirmed the appointment of the newly appointed Service Chiefs.
The report of the Committee on Defence was presented by the Chairman, Babajimi Benson, during plenary on Tuesday and considered by the committee of the whole, before it was adopted by the House.
According to the committee chairman, the nominees were thoroughly screened.
The service chiefs are also being screened by the Senate Committee on Defense.
The process had commenced last Wednesday when the new appointees were called upon to share their portfolios as well as their vision if they are confirmed to take on the new roles.
Their confirmation by the House of Reps today comes shortly after the Senate nominated the immediate past service chiefs as non-career ambassadors, despite criticisms in some quarters.
President Muhammadu Buhari had appointed the new service chiefs on January 26, following the resignation of the former officers.
Major-General Leo Irabor replaced General Abayomi Olonisakin as Chief of Defence Staff; Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao replaced Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar as Chief of Air Staff; Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo replaced Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas as Chief of Naval Staff; while General Ibrahim Attahiru replaced Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai as Chief of Army Staff.
Below is a brief profile of the new officers.
Chief of Defence Staff
He is a trained Engineer from Obafemi Awolowo University and holds two Masters degrees from the University of Ghana, Accra, and Bangladesh University of Professionals, Dhaka.
A one-time Theatre Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole, Major-General Irabor later took over as the Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC).
He replaces General Abayomi Olonisakin who served as Chief of Defence Staff since July 2015.
Chief of Air Staff
He was enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force on January 19, 1984.
After several years in service, he replaces Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar who has served as Chief of Air Staff since July 2015.
Chief of Naval Staff
He was enlisted into the Nigerian Navy on September 24, 1984 as a member of Regular Course 36.
Until his recent appointment, he was the Director of Procurement at the Defence Space Administration.
Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, replaces Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas who served as Chief of Naval Staff since July 2015.
Chief of Army Staff
General Ibrahim Attahiru was born on August 10, 1966, and hails from Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Maj Gen Attahiru Ibrahim was appointed to lead the offensive against Boko Haram in the North-East in May 2017.
He was later replaced by General Nicholas Rogers.
Before his appointment as the new Chief of Army Staff, he oversaw the 82 Division, Nigerian Army.
He replaces Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai who had served in that office since July 2015.
Repeated Calls For Removal
The replacement of the Service Chiefs by President Buhari comes after numerous calls for their sack over the increasing insecurity in the country.
As far back as July, the Nigerian Senate had called on the service chiefs to step aside.
The Senate reiterated its call in December after 43 farmers were killed in Zabarmari, Borno State, by Boko Haram terrorists.
Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, in a Channels Television interview, stressed that the President was breaking the law by keeping the Service Chiefs, who had been in their positions since 2015.
“The President is breaking the law, the law says if you are 60 you must go, it is automatic,” Shekarau said.
“If you are 35 years in service, you must go. In fact, they are not staff of Mr. President, they are the staff of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and there is a rule.”
Members of the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, have also serially called for the top military officials to be replaced.
The Presidency had said President Muhammadu Buhari would make the decision when “the time is right.”
